Last Report: 10/07/2020
Source: https://dl.ncsbe.gov/?prefix=ENRS/2020_11_03/

Returned and Accepted Mail Ballots

Ballots Returned: 394,825
Return Rate: 32%

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Party Registration

Party Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Democrats 206,334 52.3 586,762 35.2
Republicans 67,871 17.2 231,044 29.4
Minor 1,274 0.3 6,151 20.7
No Party Affiliation 119,346 30.2 409,392 29.2
TOTAL 394,825 100.0 1,233,349 32.0
All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by 2016 Vote History

Note: North Carolina provides only aggregate request statistics, so it is impossible to generate ballot return rates by 2016 general vote.
Voted Count Percent
Voted in 2016 General 296,737 75.2
Did Not Vote in 2016 General 98,088 24.8
TOTAL 394,825 100.0

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Non-Hispanic White 283,227 71.7 816,952 34.7
Non-Hispanic Black 62,815 15.9 217,796 28.8
Hispanic 7,140 1.8 30,748 23.2
Non-Hispanic Asian American 7,599 1.9 31,401 24.2
Non-Hispanic Native American 1,306 0.3 5,338 24.5
Other/Multiple/Unknown 32,737 8.3 131,114 25.0
TOTAL 394,825 100.0 1,233,349 32.0

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Age

Age Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
18 to 25 20,079 5.1 109,141 18.4
26 to 40 47,580 12.1 222,108 21.4
41 to 65 133,157 33.7 453,500 29.4
66 and up 183,657 46.5 448,600 40.9
TOTAL 394,825 100.0 1,233,349 32.0

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Gender

Gender Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Female 210,452 53.3 665,765 31.6
Male 163,984 41.5 480,235 34.1
Unknown 20,389 5.2 87,349 23.3
TOTAL 394,825 100.0 1,233,349 32.0

Rejected

Ballots Rejected: 5,445
Rejection Rate: 1.4%

Most of these rejected ballots are for the ballot status reason of “WITNESS INFO INCOMPLETE”.

North Carolina election officials are required by state law to follow up with these voters. If you are a North Carolina voter concerned about your mail ballot, you can track the status of your ballot at the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.

In the “All” mail ballot returned statistics, I add the mail ballots that are returned and accepted with the rejected ballots. Dividing the number of rejected by this quantity yields a rejection rate.

Mail Ballots Rejected by Party Registration

Party Rejected Ballots Freq. Distribution All Returned Ballots Rejection Rate
Democrats 3,361 61.7 209,695 1.6
Republicans 907 16.7 68,778 1.3
Minor 18 0.3 1,292 1.4
No Party Affiliation 1,159 21.3 120,505 1.0
TOTAL 5,445 100.0 400,270 1.4
All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballots Rejected by Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Rejected Ballots Freq. Distribution All Returned Ballots Rejection Rate
Non-Hispanic White 2,344 43.0 285,571 0.8
Non-Hispanic Black 2,252 41.4 65,067 3.5
Hispanic 194 3.6 7,334 2.6
Non-Hispanic Asian American 135 2.5 7,734 1.7
Non-Hispanic Native American 38 0.7 1,344 2.8
Other/Multiple/Unknown 482 8.9 33,219 1.5
TOTAL 5,445 100.0 400,270 1.4
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Black

Requested

Ballots Requested: 1,233,349
Request Rate: 17.3%

Mail Ballot Requests by Party Registration

North Carolina registered Democrats have a 355,718 ballot request lead over registered Republicans.

Party Count Percent
Democrats 586,762 47.6
Republicans 231,044 18.7
Minor 6,151 0.5
No Party Affiliation 409,392 33.2
TOTAL 1,233,349 100.0

North Carolina releases an update to the voter registration file each Saturday. The voter registration numbers are from the most recent release and may be slightly dated.

All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballot Requests by Race and Ethnicity

Race Count Percent
Non-Hispanic White 816,952 66.2
Non-Hispanic Black 217,796 17.7
Hispanic 30,748 2.5
Non-Hispanic Asian American 31,401 2.5
Non-Hispanic Native American 5,338 0.4
Other/Multiple/Unknown 131,114 10.6
TOTAL 1,233,349 100.0

Mail Ballot Requests by Age

North Carolina provides mail ballot request data in age ranges inconsistent with other states’ ranges. The age statistics presented here are not included in the national age statistics.

Age Count Percent
18 to 25 109,141 8.8
26 to 40 222,108 18.0
41 to 65 453,500 36.8
66 and up 448,600 36.4
TOTAL 1,233,349 100.0

Mail Ballot Requests by Gender

Gender Count Percent
Female 665,765 54.0
Male 480,235 38.9
Unknown 87,349 7.1
TOTAL 1,233,349 100.0